Architect Barbara Weiss invites us to her inside-out house, a transformed countryside cottage in Wiltshire
Architect Barbara Weiss likes to do things a little differently. Indeed, the last time we caught up with her was at her upside-down house: a converted pub in Westminster, central London, where she lives on the secluded top floors and sleeps on the lower floors (yes, it’s as brilliant as it sounds). This time, she’s giving us a tour of her latest self-designed home, which she’s aptly titled the inside-out house. Here, in our latest film, watch as Barbara shows us around her countryside residence in Wiltshire.
As many city dwellers can attest, no matter how much you love living in an urban environment, the time comes when an escape is needed. It was this precise feeling that inspired Barbara to build a sanctuary in the rolling countryside. She bought a pair of cottages with her husband, which had been combined by the previous owner, and tasked herself with extending the home. The result is a light-filled, contemporary open living space with an exterior thoroughly in tune with the local vernacular architecture.
Perhaps the most wonderful thing about this space is its connection to nature. “It was a discovery for me, how much I need and crave natural life,” she explains. Outside, the lush surroundings are rich with English roses climbling the brick and flint walls, neat green lawns and potted plants aplenty. Then there are the floor-to-ceiling windows that mean the flourishing views can be taken in from within the home too. If Barbara’s brief was to create a living space that connected with its natural surroundings, she sure has fufilled it.
Simplicity is at the heart of the projects undertaken by Barbara Weiss Architects. It’s an aesthetic that’s evident at her inside-out house, too. There’s the neutral colour palette that runs throughout the home, the considered use of materials and the clean lines of modernist archiecture that Barbara frequently takes reference from. In short, the beautiful home is a tribute to her extensive career.
Join us on a tour of Barbara’s inside-out house and listen as she gives insight into the project and discusses the delights of the countryside. And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where we open the doors to the homes of Helen Arvanitakis, Steve Barron, Katy Woollacott and Patrick Gilmartin and many more.
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